LAST CALL: Some folks have a head for publicity

April 29, 2002

Forget the obvious training grounds of journalism, law, education,
and the like: The best preparation for a PR career might belong to Major
Lee Reynolds, who before being assigned to the Army's public affairs
office at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, spent his summers as - drum
roll, please - a pro sports mascot.

Forget the obvious training grounds of journalism, law, education,
and the like: The best preparation for a PR career might belong to Major
Lee Reynolds, who before being assigned to the Army's public affairs
office at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, spent his summers as - drum
roll, please - a pro sports mascot.

That's right: As reported in last Monday's New York Post, Reynolds is
currently on leave from his gig as Mr. Met, the creature with an
enormously oversized baseball head, who roams Shea Stadium during Met
home games.

"From my experience, if you are good, you're quick on your feet,

said
Jonathan Schloss, director of US operations for International Mascot and
a one-time Paddington Bear at Busch Gardens in Virginia. "You're also
able to deal with all types of situations - happy fans, irate fans,
teary fans."

And, at least in Reynolds' case, weapons-wielding fans as well: "We like
to call it 'Hit Mr. Met in the Head Day,'

he told the Post, before
explaining that the organization now runs the promotion by giving the
commemorative bats away "at the end of the game."